Our heart, which is often associated with strong emotions such as love and affection, has a very important biological function within our body. The heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout our bodies, which allows other organs to function properly.
Learn more about the heart:
- Biology of the Heart: What is the function of the heart? What does it do?
- Heart Injury: How can the heart become damaged? What factors can contribute to this?
- Modern Medicine for the Heart: How can scientists use modern medicine to heal damaged hearts?
- Regenerative Medicine for the Heart: How can regenerative medicine heal damaged hearts even more effectively than modern medicine?
What do you think of when you see a heart: strong emotions of love and affection or the throbbing pulse in your neck?
When a biologist sees a heart, she thinks of the important biological functions that the heart performs. Although it is only a little bigger than a fist, the heart is capable of pumping enough blood to fill the gas tanks of 100 minivans each day. Each beat provides the organs within the body the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly.
Learn more about the heart:
- Biology of the Heart: What is the heart and how does it beat?
- Heart Injury: How the heart tissue can be harmed and heart attacks.
- Modern Medicine Treatments: Medication, heart transplants and the ventricular assist device.
- Regenerative Medicine in the Heart: How doctors are studying to use stem cells to heal an injured heart.
- Additional Resources: More on-line resources about the heart.
